


The Apartment

by Embrosia



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Barrisco friendship feels, Brotp, Gen, Iris is a sweetheart, mildly happy ending, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-29
Updated: 2016-11-29
Packaged: 2018-09-03 00:45:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8690038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Embrosia/pseuds/Embrosia
Summary: Now that they're fighting, Barry doesn't think he's welcome at Cisco's place anymore. So much for the universe wanting them to be bros.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Because even though Barry is an idiot, I get salty whenever he and Cisco aren't BFFs.

The whole point of Barry staying in Cisco’s particular apartment was so that he could figure out if he liked it enough to move into the vacant unit downstairs. At first, he did- equal distance between STAR Labs and CCPD, open-planned and spacious enough for him to run around without colliding with too many walls. There had still been an underlying tension between him and Cisco, but ultimately, he _enjoyed_ living with his best bud…and no offence to Joe, but he’d tasted the sort of freedom he hadn’t in a long time.

The whole thing with Cisco and…Dante…it was kind of an unspoken rule to leave it _unspoken_. Barry knew he was already skating on _very_ thin ice (eat your heart out, Captain Cold), especially after Cisco going out of his way to save his ass in the field a couple of times despite his bitterness, and so he kept his mouth shut.

And then Cisco let loose on Barry, telling him that he might never be forgiven. Barry had remained stoic- after all, _everything that happened was his fault, his own selfish fault_. He’d stayed at STAR long after Cisco went home, terrified to follow him back to his apartment. He wasn’t sure if he’d be welcome there, even if it was just to grab a few belongings. He also didn’t want Cisco to see him in this state, filled with the sort of self-loathing that can only come from not being able to save a life.

Instead, he let Iris bring him to Joe’s house, let her tuck him into his old bed, snuggling into her soft body as she kicked off her boots and crawled under the covers.

“It’s okay,” Iris said, petting his hair as he laid his head on her chest. Her breathing soothed him. “You’re allowed to be upset. He’s your best friend.”

“I don’t know if I’m _his_ anymore.”

The next morning, Barry dragged himself to work and, afterwards, to STAR Labs. Cisco pointedly ignored him for the whole afternoon, not approaching Barry until they were both about to leave.

“I’ll grab my stuff from your place,” Barry said quietly, cutting off Cisco before he had a chance to speak. “I’ll be gone before you get home.”

Cisco let out a long-suffering sigh. “So, what, you’re going back to Joe’s?”

“I guess,” Barry said.

“You’re not gonna rent out the place underneath mine?”

Barry turned away, not knowing the right answer and not wanting to upset Cisco even more. “I _want_ to.”

“It’s your choice, man. I mean…I’m still angry at you- _furious_ , actually. I won’t be able to forgive you for a long time.”

Barry cocked his head, turning back around. “You will eventually?”

“Well, yeah,” Cisco said. He sighed again, raking a hand through his hair. “Dante was… _is_ my brother, but we’ve all done things we regret, haven’t we? I can’t know for sure if it even _was_ Flashpoint that killed him. Maybe he was meant to die either way.” He swallowed hard. “I know you always try your best to bring everyone home safe, Barry.”

“I try.” Barry’s shoulders slumped as he felt the all-too-familiar weight of guilt starting to suffocate him again. “It’ll never be good enough for me.”

Cisco turned to leave, pausing in the doorway. He turned around just enough so Barry could see his profile. “Rent the place, Barry.”

A sad smile ghosted Cisco’s face. Barry returned it. They’ll work everything out- they’re a part of something much greater than their individual selves, after all.

As Barry called on the speedforce to whisk him away, he felt the familiar thrum of electricity under his skin begin to spark in excitement, to pull him in the direction of Cisco’s apartment. Not only does the universe want them to be bros, the speedforce itself does, too, and the speedforce is _not_ so easy to say no to.


End file.
